Motorboat engine control means



Sept. 16, 1958 J. G. lNGREs MOTORBOAT ENGINE CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan.13. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll- V6 77o ,25x/rese Eve/e T THEOTTLE 8 Q 5074 77 LE VER 34 THROTTLE E r/Ees /0/ ZEVEQSE LEI/Ef? 1N VENTOR ,ASA/w076. /NG/EES ATTORNEY sePf- 16. 1958 J. G. INGREs 2,851,899

MoToRBoAT ENGINE CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 13. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7287ige/(E l N VENTOR JEAN/vor 6. #va/255 Y Egg/v '@TQORNEY United StatesPatent Q MOTORBOAT ENGINE CONTRGL MEANS Jeannot G. Ingres, Dearborn,Mich., assigner to Automatic Shifters, Inc., Richmond, Va., acorporation of Virginia Application January 13, 1953, Serial No. 331,008

7 Claims. (Cl. 74--472) This invention relates to motorboat enginecontrol means, and more particularly to the controlling of the throttlesof twin motorboat engines during the operation of the reverse leversthereof.

Twin screw motorboats, cruisers, and the like are pro vided with oneengine for each propeller, and each engine is provided with its ownreverse gear. Of course, each engine is a complete power plant initself, being provided with the usual carburetor and the throttle leverstherefor conventionally arranged adjacent an instrument panel. When bothpropeller screws are driving the boat forwardly, the two reverse leversare left in forward position, and the operators hands are free tocontrol the throttle levers of the two engines, the speed of the enginesusually being synchronized by operation of the throttle levers inaccordance with tachometer operations as viewed on the instrument panel.

When a motor boat of this type is being turned under conditions in whichit is not sutliciently responsive to rudder control, for example whenbacking out of a dock and turning outwardly therefrom, the operatorusually maneuvers the boat by operation of the regular reverse levers,one of the levers being placed in reverse position to cooperate with theforwardly turning other propeller to provide for a sharp turning of theboat. The maneuvering of the two reverse levers requires the use of bothhands ofthe operator, and when so maneuvering the boat, it is the commonpractice arbitrarily to set the throttle levers at a given relativelylow speed position and the throttle levers cannot be controlled by theoperato-r while he is maneuvering the reverse levers.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel typeof throttle control mechanism for a motorboat engine, wherein thethrottle of the engine may be opened in conjunction with the operationof a reverse lever by manipulation of a manual control handle arrangedin close proximity to the reverse lever.

A further object is to provide novel control means for the throttles ofthe respective motors of a twin screw boat having reverse gears operableby reverse levers, wherein the throttle control means for each motor isarranged in close proximity to and operable simultaneously with theassociated reverse gear, to permit the operator to accelerate the speedof operation of either or both motors without releasing his hands fromthe reverse gears.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism wherein the throttle ofeither motor may be opened to accelerate the associated motor regardlessof the positions of the associated conventional throttle control levers.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism having conventionalthrottle control levers for the respective motors connected by motiontransmitting mechanisms to control the throttles, and to provide in eachmotion transmitting mechanism a device operable independently of thethrottle control lever for accelerating the speed of either engine.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism wherein the devices forcontrolling the engine throttles independently of the throttle leverseach comprises a control handle adjacent one of the reverse levers andoperable by hand of the operator grasping such lever while maintainingit in any desired position.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

ln the drawings l have shown two embodiments of the invention. In thisshowing:

Figure l is a plan View of a motorboat twin screw power plant showingthe two engines and associated elements;

Figure 2 is a face view of a conventional control panel for such powerplant showing the auxiliary control devices associated therewith;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the means fortransmitting motion to the throttle of one of the engines and associatedelements, an electrical diagram for a solenoid control valve beingshown;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the same, 4omitting the control valve means,parts being shown in section;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View on line 5 5 of Figure 3, parts beingshown in elevation, and indicating the connection of one of the throttlelevers to the means for operating such lever; and

Figure 6 is a view generally similar to Figure 4, showing a modifiedtype of means operable as au auxiliary device for moving one of theengine throttles.

Referring to Figure l, the numerals 1o and 1l indicate as a whole a pairof motorboat engines for respectively driving the twin screws of a boat.Each engine, through a reverse gear 12, drives a conventional propellershaft 12. Each reverse gear has the usual rock shaft 13 to which isconnected a crank 14 movable back and forth in the usual manner betweenforward and reverse gear positions. To operate the cranks, motiontransmitting means 15 is shown as being connected to each crank, andthis motion transmitting means is operable through the medium of theusual reverse lever 16 (Figure 2).

Each reverse lever is preferably arranged at one end of a control panelil? of any desired type having the usual voltmeter, ammeter, tachometer,etc. for each of the engines. The control panel is carried by aconventional housing 18, and into this housing project rock shafts 19carrying the respective reverse levers 16 and to which the motiontransmitting means l5 for the reverse gear cranks are connected in aconventional manner. The housing 13 has associated therewith a pair ofthrottle levers 22, shown in the present instance as being supportedabove the housing 18, and the throttle levers are operable as describedfor controlling the respective carburetors 24 (Figure l) of the enginesl0, these carburetors supplying explosive mixtures through theconventional manifolds 23 to the cylinders of the engines lll and lli.

Each carburetor 2d is provided with a conventional throttle valve (notshown) mounted on a throttle shaft 2.5 to which is connected the lowerend of a lever 26 the upper end 27 of which is offset, as shown inFigure 5, away from the carburetor 24. The upper end 27 of each lever 26extends into a yoke indicated as a whole by the numeral 2S and havingarms 29 connected by a head 30 at one end, the other ends of the arms 29being turned outwardly to form attaching feet 3i for a purpose to bedescribed.

A rigid tube 3d is connected to the yoke head 30, as at 35, and has oneend thereof rigidly connected, as at 36, to an operating shaft 37. Thisshaft may be flexible and operable in a flexible housing 3S, and theother end.

of each shaft 37 is connected, as at 39, to one of the throttle levers22. Movement of either throttle lever, through its shaft 37 and yoke 28,imparts movement to one of the throttle operating levers 26, as furtherdescribed below.

As shown in Figure 3, each yoke arm 29 is slotted longitudinally as at42, and a pin 43 extends through these slots. The pin 43 is pivotallyconnected to the upper end ofthe associated lever arm 27 and, as willbecome apparent below, the pin 43 of each throttle operating unit isnormally arranged in the upper ends of the slots 42, which position isshown in Figure 3. Each pin 43 is biased to such position by a returnspring 45, connected to the associated lever arm 27 to bias thecorresponding throttle to idling position. It will be obvious that anymovement of the flexible shaft 37 to the right in Figures 3 and 4 willmove the pin 43 in the same direction to rock the shaft clockwise toopen the associated throttle.

It further will be apparent that the pin 43 of each throttle operatingunit is movable downwardly and to the right in Figure 3, independentlyof the yoke 28, to similarly rock the associated throttle shaft 25, andmeans are provided for effecting such movement of the pin 43. Referringto Figures 3 and 4, the numeral 50 indicates as a whole a small fluidpressure motor comprising casing sections 51 and 52 having a flexiblediaphragm 53 clamped therebetween, as clearly shown at the bottom ofFigure 4. The attaching feet 31 of the yoke 28 are secured as at 54 tothe casing section 52.

An operating arm 56 is associated with each throttle operating unit andhas its body portion extending into the associated yoke 28 and pivotallyconnected at its upper end to the pin 43, as shown in Figure 4. Theright-hand end of the member 56 is bent laterally and riveted orotherwise connected, as at 57, to the diaphragm 53, the member 56projecting through an opening 58 extending axially through the casingsection 52.

The diaphragm 53 divides the motor into a pair of chambers 59 and 60,the former of which is in fixed communication with the atmospherethrough the opening 58. The casing section 51 carries a sleeve 62 xedthereto axially thereof, and a union 63, carried by the sleeve 62,connects thereto a pipe 64 opening into the chamber 60. A spring 65projects into the sleeve 62 and has one end engaging the union 63 andits opposite end engaging a spring seat 66 connected to the diaphragm 53by the rivet 57. The spring 65 obviously tends to hold the diaphragm 53in the normal position shown in Figure 4. The pipe 64 is threaded in theunion 63 and is held in adjusted positions by a lock nut 63.

Referring to Figure 3, numeral 70 designates a valve housing having acentral pocket 71 in which is arranged a resilient valve 72 carried bythe lower end of a stem forming part of the armature 73 of a solenoid74. This solenoid includes a coil 75 one terminal of which is groundedas at 76. The other terminal of the solenoid is connected by a wire 77to a switch diagrammatically indicated at 78 and further referred tobelow as to its association with other parts of the mechanism. Theswitch 78 is connected to one terminal of a source 79 the other terminalof which is grounded as at 80.

The pocket 71 communicates through a port 84 with a chamber 85 in fixedcommunication with the atmosphere through a port 86. The pocket 71 isalso adapted to communicate with a port 87, and the ports 84 and 87 areprovided at their adjacent ends respectively with valve seats 88 and S9.The port 87 is connected by a pipe 90 with the associated intakemanifold 23 (Figures l and 3).

The pipe 64 which communicates with the motor chamber 60, as stated, isconnected at its outer end to a flexible pipe 95 leading, asdiagrammatically shown in Figure 3, to a .port or passage 96communicating with the .pocket or chamber 71. When the valve 72 is inthe 4 normal position shown in Figure 3, the motor chamber 60 willcommunicate with the atmosphere through the pipe 95, port 96, chamber71, port 84, chamber 85, and port 86. When the solenoid 74 is energized,the valve 72 moves upwardly to close the atmospheric port 84 and openthe vacuum port 87, whereupon the motor chamber 60 will be connectedwith the intake manifold of its associated engine to energize the motor50, pull downwardly on the connecting member 56, and thus open theassociated engine throttle, as further described below.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the operating means associated with thethrottle control mechanism for each motor. Each switch 78 is mounted ina housing 100 (Figure 2) carried by the associated reverse lever 16, andeach switch is provided with an operating finger 101 adjacent the handle102 of the associated reverse lever. Thus, while grasping either handle102, the operating finger 101 of the associated switch may be moved toenergize the associated solenoid 74.

The means described for effecting movement of each pin 43 independentlyof the associated throttle lever 22 is highly effective, and very littlecurrent is required for the operation of the solenoids 74. In place ofthe vacuum motor 50 for each throttle control mechanism, a solenoid 105(Figure 6) may be employed, such solenoid having an armature 106connected to the associated connecting member 56. The circuit for eachsolenoid 105 will be the same as in Figure 3, and upon a closingmovement of either switch 78, one solenoid 10S will be energized to movethe connecting member 56 in the same manner that this is done bythevacuum motor in the form of the invention shown above. The solenoid 105is not preferred since it must be substantially heavier than thesolenoids 74 and will constitute a greater drain on the battery orbatteries of the boat.

Operation It will be apparent that the throttle levers 22 are arrangedin close proximity to each other to facilitate their simultaneousoperation; and in the straight-away driving of the boat, these leverswill be arranged in a position to drive both motors at the same speed asindicated by the engine tachometers on the instrument panel. Asindicated in Figure 4, the throttle levers referred to are connected tothe exible shaft 37 or other motion transmitting means to transmitmovement to either or both yokes 28 to operate the lever 27 and turn thethrottle shaft 25. The uid pressure motor of each throttle control unitis fixed to the yoke 28 of such unit and moves bodily therewith, thismovement being permitted by the flexible pipe connection in each case.It will be apparent that the biasing spring 45 (Figure 3) of eachthrottle unit keeps the pin 43 in the upper end of the slot 42 to tendto maintain the throttle levers in idling position. These levers areprovided with the conventional friction or detent means for holding themin any position in which they are placed. Any movement of the throttlelevers to open the throttles moves the yokes 28 and pins 43 downwardlyas viewed in Figure 3, and upon movement of the throttle levers in theopposite direction, the return springs 45 cause the pins 43 to followsuch movement. The engine throttles are thus controllable by thethrottle levers independently of the fluid pressure motor 50.

Assuming that the boat is to be maneuvered to turn it, such operation isfacilitated by the controlling of the twin engines in accordance withconventional practice. It is one of the advantages of a twin screw boatthat steering in close quarters at low speeds can be readily practicedby placing one motor in forward gear and the other in reverse. Thepresent invention is intended greatly to facilitate such maneuvering. v

It is the common practice under the conditions referred to, to `set thethrottle levers for somewhat above idling engine speeds and then tocontrol the motors by grasping the handles 102 of the reverse gearlevers. Manipulating these levers requires both hands, and the operatorcannot control engine speeds in conventional mechanism whilemanipulating the reverse levers. As stated, the throttles are openedbeyond idling speeds, but conventionally are not opened to a substantialextent, since the speeding up of the engines puts a great strain on thereverse gears as the latter are moved back 4and forth between theirforward or reverse and neutral positions.

In the present apparatus both throttles may be left in idling position,or in slightly above idling position, and both throttles may be operatedwith easy facility without the operators having to release his handsfrom the reverse levers. For example, with the engines both idling, theoperator `may push forwardly on the left-hand reverse lever in Figure 2and pull rearwardly on the other reverse lever. Then, without touchingthe throttle levers, the operator may speed up either or both of theengines merely by operating one or both of the switch fingers 101. Thisoperation may be performed without releasing either hand from thereverse lever, merely `by hooking one nger around each switch finger101. The switches 78 (Figure 3) may be of any desired type and will bebiased to open position to be moved to closed position upon operation ofthe corresponding switch linger 101.

Assuming that the engine Whose throttle control mechanism is illustratedin Figures 3 and 4 is to be accelerated, the closing of the switch 78will energize the solenoid 74, thus moving the valve 72 from the normalposition shown in Figure 3, to the other position, closing the air port84, and opening the vacuum port 87. The motor chamber 60 (Figure 4) thenwill be connected to the intake manifold and the diaphragm 53 will bemoved to the right and motion will be transmitted through the arm S6 tothe pin 43 to pull downwardly and to the right on the lever 27 (Figure3), and this operation takes place independently f the throttle leverwithout changing the position thereof. The movement of the lever 27under such conditions will be limited by the length of the slot 42 or bythe throw of the diaphragm 53 in accordance with the adjustment of thepipe 64, whichever distance is smaller.

As stated, the power movement of the lever 27 takes place independentlyof the associated throttle lever, and this is true with respect to anygiven setting of the lever. However, the throttle of either engine maybe opened wider to the same extent, regardless of the -setting of eitherthrottle lever, since the beginning of the power movement of the pin 43-will take place from the position of the pin 43 predetermined inaccordance with the setting of the associated throttle lever.

When the maneuvering of the boat has been completed, or it is desiredfor any other reason to return either throttle to 'a settingcorresponding to the setting of its throttle lever, the switch linger101 merely will be released to de-energize the solenoid 74, whereuponthe valve 72 will drop to its normal position to open the motor chamber60 to the atmosphere. The spring 65 will then return the diaphragm 53,yoke 28, arm 56, and pin 43 to their previous position, with the pin 43in the upper end of the slot 42, wherever such end of the slot will havebeen positioned in accordance with the manual setting of thecorresponding throttle lever.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the operations arecarried out in exactly the same manner, the only difference vbeing thatthe power means for operating the arm 56 will be the solenoid 105,movement of the armature 106 of which will pull the arm 56 to advancethe throttle of either engine. The structure in Figure 5 issubstantially simpler, but its use is not recommended Where substantialmaneuvering of the boat customarily takes place, since the current drainon the battery is greater where a solenoid is depended upon to move the6 throttle than is true as in Figure 3, where a solenoid is dependedupon merely to move a light valve.

With either form of the invention, a switch linger is arranged `adjacentthe reverse lever `and movable to energize a power means for advancingthe throttle of an engine regardless of the setting of the throttlelever. In either case, the throttle lever will remain in its manuallyadjusted position, and the present device will function to advance thethrottle a predetermined angular turning movement, regardless of theposition from which such operation starts, the starting position beingdetermined in accordance with the setting of the manually operablethrottle levers. The invention greatly facilitates the handling andcontrolling of the engines of the boat, and particularly with respect totwin screw boats wherein the propellers are driven from separateengines, `which it is highly desirable to control in the operation ofthe two screws for maneuvering the boat.

I claim:

l. A throttle control mechanism for internal combustion enginescomprising a throttle controlling member having a normal throttle idlingposition and movable in a given direction from such position toaccelerate the engine, means biasing said member towards such normalposition, a -manually operable throttle control lever, motiontransmitting connections between said lever and said member, said motiontransmitting connections comprising an element movable by said lever andprovided with a slot, and a pin carried by said member and operable insaid slot, said biasing means urging said pin to one end of said slot tobe normally movable by said element upon movement `of said lever, andmeans carried by said motion transmitting connections for transmittingmovement to said pin independently of said element to move said memberin said direction.

2. A mechanism constructed in 'accordance with claim l vwherein themeans for moving said pin comprises a power device having mechanicalconnection with said pin, and manually operable means for controllingenergization of said power device.

3. A mechanism constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the meansfor moving said pin comprises a differential fluid pressure operatedmotor having a pressure movable member connected to said pin, and amanually controllable valve lmechanism for energizing said motor.

4. A mechanism constructed in accordance with claim l wherein the meansfor moving said pin comprises a diierential uid pressure operated motorhaving a pressure 'movable member connected to said pin, said motorhaving pressure chambers on opposite sides of said pressure movablemember, one chamber being a constant pressure chamber and the otherbeing a variable pressure chamber, a valve biased to a positionconnecting said other chamber to the atmosphere and movable to anoperative position to disconnect said other chamber from the atmosphereand connect it to a source of pressure differential, and a solenoidconnected to said valve and energizable to move it to said operativeposition.

5. The mechanism constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein themeans for moving said pin comprises a solenoid having an armaturemechanically connected to said pin, and means comprising a switch forenergizing said solenoid.

6. A control mechanism for an internal combustion engine having athrottle controlling member, a reverse gear, and means comprising alever for shifting said reverse gear, a manually operable throttle leverremote from said reverse gear lever, motion transmitting connectionsbetween said throttle lever and said member, means biasing said membertoward a normal throttle idling position, a fluid pressure operatedmotor carried by said motion transmitting connections between saidthrottle lever and said member and having a pressure movable elementmechanically connected to said member, a valve mechanism for controllingsaid motor, said valve mechanism comprising a valve movable between anormal position balancing pressures in said motor and an operativeposition establishing pressure differentials in said motor, a solenoidenergizable for moving said valve to said operative position, a manuallyoperable element arranged in proximity to said reverse gear lever andoperably simultaneously therewith, and means for energizing saidsolenoid comprising a switch operable by said manually operable element.

7. A control mechanism for an internal combustion engine having athrottle controlling member, a reverse gear, and means comprising alever for shifting said reverse gear, a manually operable throttle leverremote from said reverse gear lever, motion transmitting connectionsbetween said throttle lever and said member, means biasing said membertoward a normal throttle idling position, a solenoid carried by saidmotion transmitting References Cited in the le of thisY patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,508,418 Stewart Sept. 16, 1924 1,553,319 Lardner aSept. 15, 1925 1,815,772 Gray a July 21, 1931 1,925,000 'Mullins a Aug.2,9, 1933 2,106,607 Kelley f m.... r v Jan. 25, 1938 2,593,170 MorseApr. 15, 1952 2,617,311 Miller Nov. 11, 1952 2,618,235 Clark Nov. 18,1952

